Platform Nine and Three-Quarters

Back in Diagon Alley, it was just as bustling as it had been that morning. But without the stern Professor McGonagall, the Gray Family relaxed considerably, and shopping became much more enjoyable.

The Gray Family visited nearly every shop with great seriousness—well, except for one that sold animal innards and eyeballs. The moment they entered, they saw a huge eyeball rolling around in its socket. Fiona shrieked in fright and ran straight back out.

Ferdinand bought several exquisite magical creations, such as a broomstick that swept automatically, little golden birds that could fly about, and talking Wizard's Chess pieces. When paying, he repeatedly confirmed with the clerk that none of the items had any "dangerous" or "harmful" magic attached to them.

Wade spent more than an hour in the bookstore. There were far too many books he wanted to buy. But considering there was only a month left before school began, and Hogwarts surely had even more books, he ultimately picked only the ones he wanted most—Standard Book of Spells, Healing Handbook, and Basic Introduction to Ancient Runes.

He also bought two self-writing quills, though the clerk warned him that they were unsuitable for homework. They wrote down every thought in their owner's mind on parchment, down to the smallest detail. Even someone who had specifically trained themselves could accidentally write something mortifying.

When Wade left the bookstore with his new books in his arms, he saw his parents sitting beside an ice cream stall on the street, eating ice cream. Ferdinand was also carrying a golden owl cage, inside which crouched a particularly sturdy-looking little fellow, drawing circles with his head.

"Dad, did you buy another owl?" Wade asked.

"That's right." Ferdinand smiled. "You'll definitely be bringing your owl with you to school. What if your mother and I want to send you letters? I heard Muggle post offices can't deliver mail to Hogwarts, so we bought one too. Oh, right. His name is General Bard. He's a mighty little fellow."

Wade bent down to greet him. "Hello, General Bard."

General Bard opened his beak and yawned.

"Look, I bought a little one too." Fiona leaned over and opened her hand. A white hamster was curled up in her palm, looking very well-behaved.

"Isn't she adorable?" Fiona said excitedly. "I don't know whether pets in the Wizarding World have eaten some kind of intelligence pill, but they seem much smarter than ordinary animals! She isn't scared of people at all, and she even seems to understand my commands."

"She is adorable, but Mom, aren't hamsters part of an owl's diet?" Wade asked.

He had only learned after buying an owl and then purchasing Owl Treats on the clerk's recommendation that owls mainly ate rodents, birds, fish, or insects. In short, they were carnivores. Thinking about the handful of pine nuts he had caught for the school owl before, Wade silently apologized.

"It's fine. Your father will keep an eye on his owl! Oh, right, this is Miss Millicent." Fiona said solemnly. "Wade, it's time you gave your owl a name too!"

"Um..." Wade's gaze swept around and happened to land on an Evante Stationery Shop. The opening letters, EVA, gleamed brightly in the sunlight and were especially eye-catching.

"I'll call her Eva," he said casually.

The Gray Family lingered in Diagon Alley for several days. Ferdinand could now discuss Quidditch matches and various models of Nimbus 2000 without any difficulty. Fiona, meanwhile, had bought Miss Millicent the hamster a full set of miniature furniture, enchanted with automatic cleaning spells, along with all kinds of little dresses, wizard robes, hats, and rainbow-colored socks.

Of course, as the parents of a new Hogwarts student, they had signed a confidentiality agreement with Professor McGonagall on the first day. They promised not to tell any non-magical people about the Wizarding World and to fulfill their duty of safeguarding Magical Items, ensuring they would not enter the Muggle world.

A month passed in the blink of an eye. On the morning of September 1st, Fiona checked Wade's trunk once more, making sure he had packed everything he needed—from nail clippers and ear picks to autumn and winter clothes. Ferdinand drove him to King's Cross Station.

Platform Nine and Three-Quarters was the starting point of the magical journey. From the outside, it looked like nothing more than an ordinary partition wall.

Wade pushed his trunk, with the owl cage sitting atop the trolley, to the wall. He turned back and saw both his parents smiling and waving at him.

Wade smiled and waved back, then turned and charged straight through the wall in one breath.

Fiona covered her mouth and suddenly let out a sob.

Ferdinand wrapped an arm around her shoulders and sighed. "If only we could go onto the platform to see him off—"

"Don't tell him—I don't want Wade to feel sad." Fiona said through her sobs. "Going to school—he should go happily—"

Ferdinand gently patted her and comforted her. "Don't worry. I've asked around quite a bit these past few days—the Wizarding World is very peaceful now. Dumbledore, the greatest wizard of this age, is their Headmaster. Wade will be fine at school."

"Y-You're right—sorry—"

A timid voice sounded beside them. Ferdinand looked down and immediately recognized the boy before him.

"You're—Harry Potter?!" he said in surprise.

"Yes, it's me." Harry awkwardly brushed the hair on his forehead over his scar. He had already forgotten meeting the couple at The Leaky Cauldron—mainly because too many people had shaken his hand at the time, and the pub had been very dimly lit. Now, with a hint of delight, he asked cautiously, "I just heard you mention Hogwarts... I mean—I'm not quite sure how to get there—"

"Oh." Ferdinand suddenly understood. "See that wall? Just push your trunk straight through it. If you're scared, close your eyes. Don't worry about crashing into it."

Professor McGonagall had not told them that. Ferdinand had heard it from his own parents when he was young. Back then, before it had been confirmed that he was a Squib, his parents had told him many little stories about the Wizarding World. Later, though, they never mentioned such things again.

"Oh, all right—"

Harry found it hard to believe. He cautiously studied the couple's expressions—they looked kind enough, but he did not know whether they were playing a trick on him...

Seeing them continue to look at him encouragingly, as though they were waiting to watch him pass through the wall, Harry felt too embarrassed to ask anyone else. He gritted his teeth and pushed his trunk forward, though not very quickly.

If I hit the wall, I'll just stop... Getting laughed at won't be such a big deal...

The boy thought anxiously, yet the expected obstacle never came. Then, in a single instant, his ears were filled with the buzzing sound of voices, and what suddenly appeared before him—

was a massive, deep-red train, with tracks stretching and winding into the distance as far as the eye could see.